Ji Yuenian and Ji Haotong wandered around outside for a while. Along the way, Ji Haotong kept asking about Jiang Chi and even teased Ji Yuenian with him.
Things like, “I think that kid from the Jiang family is pretty good,” “He suits you quite well,” and “When the time comes, I’ll definitely give a bigger red envelope.” Each sentence sounded like he was deliberately pushing Ji Yuenian toward Jiang Chi, until she was completely bristling with anger.
She directly made a call to summon Mengmengtu, and watching as a tall, well-built man was dragged away one-handed by a delicate-looking girl while crying out for help, Ji Yuenian felt her mood instantly improve.
After strolling around outside for a long time, Ji Yuenian finally returned home near evening. She hesitated at the door for quite a while before finally mustering the courage to walk in.
“Aunt Huang, I’ll wash the potatoes.”
“Alright, thanks for the trouble, A-Chi.”
“It’s only right.”
“Tongtong, where are the dried chilies I asked for?”
“Coming, Mom.”
“Honghong, is the black chicken soup done yet? Let me have a taste.”
“……”
Contrary to the solemn, tense atmosphere Ji Yuenian had imagined, the living room was now filled with rich food aromas, along with the sounds of stir-frying and people helping out coming from the kitchen.
Ji Yuenian froze.
She looked toward the kitchen in disbelief.
Inside, four figures were busy at work: her mother, her father, her brother, and Jiang Chi.
What… was going on here?
Why was it completely different from the serious, heavy atmosphere she had imagined, and instead looked like a warm, cheerful family scene of everyone cooking together?
Ji Yuenian stared at her parents in the kitchen, utterly confused.
“Yuanyuan’s back? Hurry up and carry the dishes. Dinner’s almost ready~”
“Today we made your favorite spicy diced chicken.”
Huang Qingchuan came out of the kitchen wearing an apron, holding a plate of bright red, steaming spicy diced chicken.
Seeing Ji Yuenian still standing there in a daze, she gently nudged her with her elbow. “Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Hurry up and help carry the dishes.”
“Oh… oh! Okay…” Pushed like that by Huang Qingchuan, Ji Yuenian snapped out of it and hurried into the kitchen, just in time to run into Jiang Chi, who was stir-frying shredded potatoes with vinegar and chili.
The moment their eyes met, Ji Yuenian hastily looked away, pretending nothing had happened. She picked up the freshly cooked plate of shredded potatoes from Jiang Chi and walked straight out.
And just like that, dinner passed in a blur. Then, under Huang Qingchuan’s deliberate matchmaking, Jiang Chi, who had been persuaded to stay the night, successfully moved into Ji Yuenian’s bedroom.
As for Ji Yuenian, she was confused from start to finish.
Only after taking a shower and lying on the bed in her Mickey Mouse pajamas, looking at Jiang Chi beside her gazing back, his deep blue eyes reflecting her figure, did she finally come back to her senses.
“What kind of spell did you cast on my parents?” she rolled her eyes and asked irritably.
“What do you think?” He didn’t answer directly.
“……” His question-in-return left Ji Yuenian speechless. Too lazy to pursue it further, she turned over, facing away from him, closed her eyes, and prepared to sleep.
Who knew that the boy would wrap his arms around her waist from behind, turning her whole body to face him. Their eyes met, and Jiang Chi’s gaze was as deep as a star-filled river, as if it could swallow her whole.
“What are you trying to do, huh? Feeling me up from top to bottom?” Ji Yuenian shot him a merciless glare.
“I’m warning you. Based on what I know about my parents, they’re definitely listening at the door right now. If you dare lay a hand on me, all I need to do is shout once, and my brother will rush in and smash your head in!”
She spoke through clenched teeth, looking exactly like a shrew who had been harassed by a thug.
“I just want to hold you.” Jiang Chi lowered his head, moving closer to her cheek, softly exhaling warm breath that brushed against her sensitive ear.
That warm, moist sensation stirred the most hidden desires in her heart. Her heart thumped wildly, like a startled deer, as if it might leap out of her chest at any moment.
“Y-you-you-you… don’t tease me if you’ve got the guts!” Ji Yuenian was so nervous her words came out tangled.
She really didn’t know what her mother was thinking.
Insisting on pushing Jiang Chi into her room like this!
Wasn’t she afraid of sending a lamb into a tiger’s den?
But Jiang Chi simply held her quietly, not doing anything else.
“Ji Yuenian.” After a long while, he suddenly spoke, like a pebble dropped into still water.
“Hm?”
Ji Yuenian stared at him nervously, afraid of missing even the slightest change in his expression.
“When are you going back to school?”
The sudden question caught Ji Yuenian completely off guard.
“Uh, that…” A trace of gloom flashed through the beauty’s eyes. Today was already October 10th, long past the National Day holiday, yet she still hadn’t returned to school. Instead, her parents had arranged a long leave with the school for her. In the end, it all came down to her identity being exposed, leaving her uneasy.
Ji Yuenian bit her lip.
“I don’t know either. Maybe when I fully accept this new identity. And even if I do accept it, my dad, mom, and brother absolutely won’t let me live in the boys’ dorm anymore.”
“I really miss you. And your roommates and your juniors really miss you too,” he said softly.
“I know, but what can I do? Go to school looking like this? Live in the boys’ dorm? Keep playing basketball with the guys from the sports department?”
Ji Yuenian slapped her chest hard. The two soft, pale mounds bounced visibly.
She gave a bitter smile. “After what happened with my parents, I finally realized that unless everyone ignores how abnormal I am, my secret will be exposed sooner or later.”
“Of course, there’s another way.” She looked at Jiang Chi. “You help me, and the two of us figure out a way for me to turn back into a guy. Then I can go back to school!”
She deliberately kept her tone light.
Jiang Chi fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking again. “Actually, there’s another way.”
The next instant, his embrace suddenly tightened, pulling the commanding woman firmly into his arms. His chest pressed against her back, warm breath brushing against her ear.
Just as Ji Yuenian thought he was about to make a move and was ready to call for help, he instead lowered his head slightly, lips close to her ear, and softly called her name.
“Ji Yuenian…”
“…be a girl.”
Ji Yuenian’s body stiffened slightly as countless complicated emotions surged in her heart. Words like “Get lost,” “Go away,” and “If I become a girl, are you going to support me?” were all on the tip of her tongue, yet for some reason got stuck in her throat, unable to come out.
She wanted to struggle, yet in this warm embrace, she found herself greedily clinging to this brief moment of peace.
Jiang Chi’s arms were like solid shackles, locking her in place, giving her a sense of security she had never felt before.
“What did you say? I just fell asleep, didn’t hear it clearly~~” she muttered softly, pretending nothing had happened as she closed her eyes again, only her heartbeat speeding up a little.
In response, the boy said nothing more, simply holding her a bit tighter.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment, with only the sound of their heartbeats intertwining, speaking of feelings that could not be put into words.
*****
The next day.
“Mom, I don’t want to eat papaya soup.”
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